Page 53 of The Rum and The Fox

“You’re a bigger fool that I realised, Felix,” she said, her voice as hard and insulting as the look in her eyes.

“He prefers Ash, Grandmama,” Keziah replied with equal animosity, startling herself with her own indignation at the dowager’s words. “And I’ll thank you not to speak to my husband in such a way. Just because his choice is not always yours, that does not make him a fool.”

Lady Margaret made a disparaging noise as she walked towards them. “But of course you would say that, as it suits you to have married a fool, no doubt. They’re so much more … biddable.”

Keziah gasped. She’d been prepared for hostility, but such an open attack towards her and an insult to Ash, at the moment they’d stepped over the threshold, too, was more than she’d bargained for.

“That will be enough!”

Both women started in surprise: the command behind the words was something quite unfamiliar to either of them, coming as it did from Lord Ashwicke.

“Grandmother, you may berate and belittle me as much as you wish, I am used to it, after all. But you will not speak to my wife in such a manner. She is the Duchess of Chartley, and no matter your opinion, you will treat her with the deference that she is due.”

Keziah watched as these words hit Lady Margaret with all the force that a protective and loving husband could bring to bear. The surprise in the woman’s eyes was only too obvious, though she made efforts to disguise it.

Her face hardened once more. “And if I don’t?” she demanded, the desire to goad Ash glittering in those green eyes, so like her grandson’s and yet so very different.

Keziah squeezed his hand, willing him to understand that she stood beside him, she would not allow his family to bully him any longer, as that was so clearly what he’d always endured.

“If you don’t …”Ash hesitated a moment, and Keziah could tell this was the last thing he wanted, but that he was determined and would not be swayed. “I shall have Hume prepared and inform the staff there that you will be staying indefinitely.”

Lady Margaret stilled, staring at him. “You would banish me to Scotland?” she replied, her voice a deal quieter now. Keziah had the feeling that Ash had truly shaken her.

Ash clearly felt the same as he sighed, rubbing one hand over his face. He looked tired, Keziah thought, and she worried at it. She wanted to save him from such stress and confrontation. He was such a placid, good-hearted fellow, and he deserved none of the strife she had brought to him. Though clearly his grandmother had always been a tyrant.

“Not willingly,” he said at length. “I would have you stay here as long as you desired to, but understand this … You will not upset Keziah and you will not manipulate and bully her as you have me.” He paused then and cast Keziah a look of such adoration that she felt her heart clench. “Not that I think you could, she’s far stronger than I have ever been.”

Keziah opened her mouth to protest, but he squeezed her fingers and gave her a look that stilled her tongue. He turned back to Lady Margaret.

“Try and come between us, in any manner, and you will find yourself in a carriage heading north before you know what has happened.”

Keziah stared at Lady Margaret, who was in turn regarding Ash as though she’d never seen him before. She could not read the expression in the woman’s eyes, did not have the slightest idea of her thoughts, but at length she tilted her head a little, acknowledging his words.

“As you wish, your grace.”

Keziah was unsure if her words were mocking him, or if his title had truly been used as a sign of respect. Whichever, Lady Margaret was not a woman to be dismissed. Perhaps she would heed Ash’s command and not be openly hostile, but that did not guarantee she would not work in a more subtle but just as damaging style behind their backs.

Keziah didn’t trust her an inch.

The immediate storm having passed, Keziah almost let out a breath of relief, but was saved the effort as the salon door opened and Lady Anne and her daughter came out.

They froze, staring at Keziah. Hannah’s expression was easy enough to read, and that she somehow blamed Keziah for all that had befallen them was obvious.

Lady Anne was rather harder to judge. To do her credit, she moved forward and curtsied to Keziah. “I wish you very happy, my dear,” she said, though her eyes glittered rather too brightly.

Keziah hoped that the words were sincere, she rather thought they were, especially judging on the approval in her husband’s eyes, but she wasn’t prepared to take anyone in this family at face value just yet. Still she returned the smile and thanked her new mother-in-law.

“I--I …” Lady Anne stammered, though she was still smiling, a little at least. “I just wish you weren’t s-so beautiful.”

Keziah, whose father had often pointed out that she was passable, but no great beauty, and had not been in society to have it proved otherwise, was rather startled by this remark. Especially coming from one who she could see was quite extraordinarily lovely. She could certainly see where Ash got his looks from.

Hannah, however, who was in no mood to make peace, quickly shattered any fragile entente between them.

“I hate you,” she said, her voice vibrating with fury. “I don’t want you here. You’ve ruined everything.”

“Hannah, dearest,” Lady Margaret said, her voice cool and reproving. “Do you not think we could retire somewhere rather less public for this discussion. There is no need to give the servants anything further to gossip of, surely they have enough after recent weeks.”

But Hannah was deaf to such admonishments, even from the terrifying woman, who, according to Ash, Hannah feared even more than he did.

“Everything was perfect before you came,” she raged in fury. “Thomas was going to marry me.”

As much as Keziah disliked this appalling scene, she found she had no hatred for Hannah, she could only pity her. That she truly believed, even now, that Lord Todd would have married her just went to show how truly naive she really was. She would have been easy prey for one as glib and handsome as her father. However, it appeared that Keziah was no longer the centre of this dawning fury, as Lady Anne had taken exception to her words and pointed out that Lord Todd had only asked for her hand in marriage, not Hannah’s, and that the girl was a fool if she believed she’d been anything more than a pleasant distraction for the man.

The scene quickly went downhill, as might have been foreseen, but before Ash could do anything about it, they were aware of Grant coming upon the scene and clearing his throat with an expression of alarm.

“The bell for the front door, your grace,” he said, by way of explanation as they all fell into a brittle silence. The atmosphere grew tauter still as Grant opened the door and announced in his sonorous voice, “Inspector Formby and Constable Greenly, your grace.”